3 N‑SING The rape of an area or of a country is the destruction or spoiling of it. [LITERARY ] □ [+ of ] As a result of the rape of the forests, parts of the country are now short of water.
4 Rape is a plant with yellow flowers which is grown as a crop. Its seeds are crushed to make cooking oil. [AM ] in BRIT, use oilseed rape 5 → see also date rape , gang rape , oilseed rape
rap|id ◆◆◇ /ræ p I d/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A rapid change is one that happens very quickly. □ …the country's rapid economic growth in the 1980s. □ …the rapid decline in the birth rate. ● rap|id|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ …countries with rapidly growing populations. ● ra|pid|ity /rəp I d I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …the rapidity with which the weather can change.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A rapid movement is one that is very fast. □ He walked at a rapid pace along Charles Street. □ …the St John Ambulance Air Wing, formed to provide for the rapid transport of patients in urgent need of specialist attention. ● rap|id|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ He was moving rapidly around the room. ● ra|pid|ity N‑UNCOUNT □ The water rushed through the holes with great rapidity.
ra pid-fi re
1 ADJ [ADJ n] A rapid-fire gun is one that shoots a lot of bullets very quickly, one after the other. □ In the back of the truck was a 12.7 millimeter rapid-fire machine gun.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A rapid-fire conversation or speech is one in which people talk or reply very quickly. □ Yul listened to their sophisticated, rapid-fire conversation.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] A rapid-fire economic activity or development is one that takes place very quickly. [mainly AM , JOURNALISM ] □ …the rapid-fire buying and selling of stocks.
rap|ids /ræ p I dz/ N‑PLURAL Rapids are a section of a river where the water moves very fast, often over rocks. □ His canoe was there, on the river below the rapids.
ra p|id tra ns|it ADJ [ADJ n] A rapid transit system is a transport system in a city which allows people to travel quickly, using trains that run underground or above the streets. □ …a rapid transit link with the City and London's underground system.
ra|pi|er /re I pie r / (rapiers )
1 N‑COUNT A rapier is a very thin sword with a long sharp point.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] If you say that someone has a rapier wit, you mean that they are very intelligent and quick at making clever comments or jokes in a conversation. □ The journalist is famous for her precocity and rapier wit.
rap|ist /re I p I st/ (rapists ) N‑COUNT A rapist is a man who has raped someone. □ The convicted murderer and rapist is scheduled to be executed next Friday.
rap|pel /ræpe l/ (rappels , rappelling , rappelled ) VERB To rappel down a cliff or rock face means to slide down it in a controlled way using a rope, with your feet against the cliff or rock. [AM ] □ [V prep] They learned to rappel down a cliff. in BRIT, use abseil
rap|per /ræ pə r / (rappers ) N‑COUNT A rapper is a person who performs rap music. □ …rappers like MC Hammer.
rap|port /ræpɔː r / N‑SING If two people or groups have a rapport , they have a good relationship in which they are able to understand each other's ideas or feelings very well. □ [+ with ] He said he wanted 'to establish a rapport with the Indian people'. □ [+ between ] The success depends on good rapport between interviewer and interviewee.
rap|por|teur /ræ pɔː r tɜː r / (rapporteurs ) N‑COUNT A rapporteur is a person who is officially appointed by an organization to investigate a problem or attend a meeting and to report on it. [FORMAL ] □ …the United Nations special rapporteur on torture.
rap|proche|ment /ræprɒ ʃmɒn, [AM ] -proʊ ʃ-/ N‑SING A rapprochement is an increase in friendliness between two countries, groups, or people, especially after a period of unfriendliness. [FORMAL ] □ [+ with ] Cuba released 53 dissidents after its historic rapprochement with America. □ [+ between ] …the process of political rapprochement between the two former foes.
rapt /ræ pt/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If someone watches or listens with rapt attention, they are extremely interested or fascinated. [LITERARY ] □ I noticed that everyone was watching me with rapt attention. ● rapt|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ …listening raptly to stories about fascinating people.
rap|tor /ræ ptə r / (raptors ) N‑COUNT Raptors are birds of prey, such as eagles and hawks. [TECHNICAL ]
rap|ture /ræ ptʃə r / N‑UNCOUNT Rapture is a feeling of extreme happiness or pleasure. [LITERARY ] □ The film was shown to gasps of rapture at the Democratic Convention.
rap|tures /ræ ptʃə r z/ PHRASE If you are in raptures or go into raptures about something, you are extremely impressed by it and enthusiastic about it. [mainly BRIT , WRITTEN ] □ They will be in raptures over the French countryside.
rap|tur|ous /ræ ptʃərəs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A rapturous feeling or reaction is one of extreme happiness or enthusiasm. [JOURNALISM ] □ The students gave him a rapturous welcome.
rare ◆◇◇ /reə r / (rarer , rarest )
1 ADJ Something that is rare is not common and is therefore interesting or valuable. □ …the black-necked crane, one of the rarest species in the world. □ She collects rare plants.
2 ADJ An event or situation that is rare does not occur very often. □ …on those rare occasions when he did eat alone. □ Heart attacks were extremely rare in babies, he said.